]]>Nissan has announced the milestone of 1,000 CHAdeMO quick chargers installed in Europe has been reached.

The 1,000th EV charging station was installed at Roadchef Clacket Lane Services in Surrey, UK.

The fast charging unit can recharge the batteries of compatible electric vehicles from zero to 80 percent charge in 30 minutes, and at zero cost.

Nissan said the installation of the fastest type of chargers dramatically increases the uptake and usage of electric vehicles. In Norway, Europe’s biggest EV market, the number of electric vehicles using the E18 highway increased eight fold in an 18 month period after a CHAdeMO quick charger was installed on the route.

The latest charger has been installed in collaboration with Ecotricity, a UK green energy specialist. The location south of London on the M25 motorway, considered one of the busiest in Europe, allows drivers west of London easy access to Kent and onwards into Europe.

“This is a huge landmark for zero-emission mobility, allowing a range of EVs, including the Nissan Leaf and forthcoming Nissan e-NV200 electric van, to quickly extend their journeys,” said Director of Electric Vehicles, Nissan Europe, Jean Pierre Diernaz. “The UK charging network is expanding rapidly and through our partner Ecotricity, customers are able to ‘refuel’ their car for free with wind and solar generated electricity.”

According to Nissan, this latest charger is part of a network of 195 chargers in the UK, which is forming electric corridors across the country, linking major towns and cities. In the UK, Nissan has been working with partners including IKEA, Moto, Roadchef, Welcome Break and Nissan dealers to create this rapidly growing network with 124 quick chargers installed in 2013.

Nissan explained the rate of installation of CHAdeMO quick chargers across Europe rose sharply in 2013, hugely increasing access for its Nissan Leaf customers. In 2010 there were just 16 quick charging points; this rose to 155 a year later and 540 in 2012.

The 1,000 mark in 2013 will be dwarfed by the end of 2014 with over 1,800 quick charger points expected.

Investment in this Euope-wide development of infrastructure comes from Nissan and a multitude of partners in the energy field, including the Swiss multinational power company ABB, French quick charger manufacturers DBT, and the Portuguese EFACEC Corporation.